Support for a portable wheel aligner

ABSTRACT

A support for a portable wheel aligner unit to carry adjustably the aligner unit from a storage position to a position adjacent a vehicle wheel to be aligned. The support comprises a pair of telescoping arms adapted to extend an adjustable length, swing about a vertical axis, and also to tilt through a limited angular range in a vertical plane. One end of the telescoping arms is clamped to a runway of a pit, power, or drive-on vehicle rack. The other end of the arms carry an extensible post which supports a ball which is received by a loosely mating socket which is an integral part of the aligner unit. A spring retaining yoke is coupled to the aligner unit to enable relative movement of the aligner with respect to the post. The foregoing structure enables an operator to conveniently store the aligner unit and bring it into operating position on a vehicle wheel without the necessity for manually lifting the total weight of the aligner.

niteii States Patent 1 1 3964137111 iflke rsqmm [45] ar. l4, [54]SUPPORT FOR A PORTABLE WHEEL 3,101,553 8/1963 Rish ..33/203.1s

AMGNER 2,777,211 1/1957 Martin ..33/203.18 x

[72] inventor: Edward D. Wilkerson, Washington Valley Road, Morristown,NJ. 07960 [22] Filed: Apr. 16, 1970 [21] App1.No.: 29,024

[52] 11.5. C1. ..33/46 W, 33/203.18, 248/279 [51] Int. (31. ..A47f 5/00[58] Field of Search ..248/16, 279, 124, 274, 278,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,275,311 8/1918 Schumacher..248/279 3,358,957 12/1967 Lindenmuth ..248/279 3,338,545 8/1967 Magi248/181 X 2,910,775 11/1959 Muller et a1. ...33/46 W X 2,962,980 12/1960Carrigan ..33/46 W X 3,398,453 8/1968 l-lurst ..33/46 W 2,765,54010/1956 McMillen et a1 ..33/203.18

Primary Examiner-l Franklin Foss Att0rney-Augustus G. Douvas [5 7]ABSTRACT A support for a portable wheel aligner unit to carry adjustably the aligner unit from a storage position to a position adjacenta vehicle wheel to be aligned. The support comprises a pair oftelescoping arms adapted to extend an adjustable length, swing about avertical axis, and also to tilt through a limited angular range in avertical plane. One end of the telescoping arms is clamped to a runwayof a pit, power, or drive-on vehicle rack. The other end of the armscarry an extensible post which supports a ball which is received by aloosely mating socket which is an integral part of the :aligner unit. Aspring retaining yoke is coupled to the aligner unit to enable relativemovement of the aligner with respect to the post. The foregoingstructure enables an operator to conveniently store the aligner unit andbring it into operating position on a vehicle wheel without thenecessity for manually lifting the total weight of the aligner.

4 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures iiidiiilMWi/W yjspl 1 PMENWUMAR 1 m2 SHEET 2BF 2 ATTORNEY SUPPORT IFOR A PORTABLE WHEEL ALIGNER BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION Portable wheel alignment equipments involving opticaltransittechniques are well known. These equipments involve the use of twoseparate wheel alignment units each of which is clamped to oppositevehicle wheels so that measurements may be made.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,445,936, issued to the inventor on May 27, 1969,discloses alignment equipments of this general type.

Within recent years increased emphasis has been placed upon thedesirability of aligning large wheels, such as those found upon busesand trucks. Vehicles of this type are usually aligned by driving thevehicles onto wheel turntables located on the runways of pit, power anddrive-on racks. The use of racks enables the alignment operator to makethe necessary adjustment without undue bending. Additionally, improvedaccess is provided to the underside of the vehicle to enable thenecessary alignment corrections to be made.

The above patent discloses an aligner having a pivot post which iselongated and generally straight to enable alignment measurements to bemade over the hood of a passenger car. In view of the fact that manybuses and trucks have relatively high hoods, a post to enableover-the-hood readings on these vehicles would be excessively long andunwieldly. An aligner pivot post adapted to buses and trucks is shown inthe inventor's copending U.S. Pat. application Ser. No. 658, filed Jan.5, 1970, and entitled Improvement in Wheel Alignment Apparatus. Thismodified post has an L-shaped configuration to enable measurements to bemade in front of the bus or truck and generally below an otherwiseobstructing bumper.

In the modified L-shaped post, the optical-transit arm is generallyhorizontal during the alignment procedure. The mounting and adjustmentof the aligner unit thus creates a weight lifting and handling problem,particularly when the aligner unit must be manually lifted from a remotestorage position for clamping upon a wheel rim.

In many instances, the aligner unit is stored on a garage floor eitherpermanently or at least between successive alignments of a plurality ofvehicles. This may result in unnecessary damage to the aligner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is a principal object of theinventionto provide convenient and safe storage of a portable alignerunit when not in use. When the aligner is to be used, it may be clampedonto a vehicle wheel readily and placed in the desired position withoutsubjecting the operator to the handling of a cumbersome and weightyaligner unit.

As outlined in the Abstract, this object is attained by carrying thealigner on a rack mounted support with generally universal movementbeing provided. The movement includes changes in both horizontal andvertical positions, as well as changes in the attitude of the alignerunit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that all of the structuralfeatures for attaining the objects of the invention may be readilyunderstood, reference is herein made to the following drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable wheel aligner unit carried bythe support of this invention as applied to a truck wheel;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the wheel aligner unit and thesupport;

FIG. 3 is a view, partly in section, showing both support arms, theirmounting bracket, and the post upon which the aligner unit is carried;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view partly in section taken along the line 4-4 inFIG. 3 showing the details of the support post and the ball and socketfor carrying the aligner;

FIG. 5 is a section view taken along line 55 of FIG. 3 showing thebearing wheels and roll which enable the two arms of the support totelescope relative one another;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the hearing wheelscarried by the inner arm;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the retaining yokeattached to the aligner unit to enable adjustable positioning of thealigner unit on the support post;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, showing the means forpivotally coupling the arms of the aligner support to the mountingbracket; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view, partly in section, showing further detailsof the structure of FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings, theinvention shown therein relates solely to wheel aligner support 1 which,for the purpose of illustration, is mounted on runway flange 2 of runway3 so as to adjustably carry portable wheel aligner unit 4.

In the usual instance, a wheel aligner support (not shown) identical tosupport 1 is attached to the opposite runway so as to carry wheelaligner unit 5 (FIG. 1). Wheel aligner units 5, 6 are portableoptical-transit devices which are employed as a pair to align vehiclewheels.

Truck 6 is driven upon turntables 7 and 8 carried on pit rack 9, forexample, so that the front wheels of this truck may be aligned. Toperform this operation, it is necessary to apply fixedly wheel alignerunits 4 and 5 to the adjacent wheels so that aligner measurementsinvolving optical-transit techniques, well known in the prior art, canbe made. Inasmuch as portable wheel aligner units 4 and 5, as nowcommercially manufactured, generally weigh in the range of 15 to 30pounds each, the handling of this weight can be extremely cumbersome,making difficult the clamping operation of each aligner unit to itsadjacent wheel. Likewise, the storage of these units between alignmentoperations is time and space consuming, which also often results inunnecessary damage.

Accordingly, it is a primary function of the aligner support I to carrysubstantially all of the weight of the aligner unit 4, for example, butat the same time enable the operator to move the aligner unithorizontally, vertically, and at intermediate attitudes so that properalignment steps can be performed. This aligner positioning is describedhereafter without particular reference to detailed alignment steps asthese steps are well known in the art. Storage of the aligner unit iseffected easily by simply manually moving aligner support I to carryaligner unit 4 away from the runway path.

The aligner unit 4 shown in the drawings incorporates variousimprovements in the basic unit described in the inventors U.S. Pat. No.3,445,936. These improvements relate generally to the provision of arelatively short L-shaped aligner post 12 so that measurements can bemade in front of a truck rather than over the top of a truck hood by alengthy and unwieldy post. Additionally, aligner wheel clamp 13 (FIG. 2)includes three extensible legs l4, 15 (only two shown) so that alignerunit 4 may be applied to the larger rim diameters typical of truckwheels by turning clamp control 16..

The improvements to adapt the aligner of U.S. Pat. No. 3,445,936 fortrucks and buses is described in detail in the inventors copending U.S.Pat. application Ser. No. 658, filed Jan. 5, 1970, entitled Improvementsin Wheel Alignment Apparatus."

Referring now to FIG. 3, the base portion 20 of L-shaped aligner post 12is shown as viewed from the rear. A caplike socket 21 is integrallyattached to this base. Socket 211 is formed with a recess 22 (FIG. 4).The aligner support I of this invention generally comprises an outer arm23 which receives an extensible and telescoping inner arm 24. Supportpost 25 is carried by the right end of inner arm 24. A mounting tip 26is fixed to the upper end of telescoping tube 27. Mounting tip 26includes a ball 28 carried by stem 29. When aligner unit 4 is carried bywheel aligner support 1, ball 28 is received within recess 22 of socket21. In view of the fact that recess 22 has an enlarged access opening,aligner post 12, which includes base 20, is capable of a limited angulartilting relative support post 25. Studs and 31 (see FIG. 7) serve aslimit stops which prevent excessive relative tilting of aligner base 12with respect to support post 25.

As is best shown in FIG. 7 (see also FIGS. 3 and 4), retaining yoke 35,which includes a pair of forked arms 36 and 37 coupled to helicalsprings 38 and 39, respectively, yieldingly engages the outer wall oftube 27 so as to permit the tilting movement provided by socket 21 andball 28 which is limited by stops 30 and 31.

Retaining yoke includes a ball knob which may be clasped by thealignment operator so as to release the yoke from its relatively tightgrip against tube 27 in those instances in which it is desired to liftaligner unit 4 from support 1.

The outer ends 41 and 42 (FIG. 7) of helical springs 38 and 39 are fixedto base 20 so that yoke 40 is attached permanently to aligner unit 4.

Support post 25 includes a finger rod 45 (FIG. 4), the lower terminalend of which is threaded so that the rod may be coupled to inner arm 24by nut 46 and acorn nut 47.

Tube 27 is formed with four holes 50, 51, 52 and 53. These holes aresized to receive height-adjusting pin 54. When pin 54 is inserted intube holes 51, 52 and 53, tube 27 may be extended vertically relativefinger rod 45 with pin 54 resting on the upper surface 55 of rod 45.This arrangement enables aligner unit 12 to be adjusted verticallyrelative aligner support arms 23 and 24, for example. End cap isinserted in the right end of arm 24 so as to close the access openingotherwise appearing in this arm.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 6, the left end of arm 24 is apertured toreceive a generally horizontal axle 61 and a generally vertical axle 62.Wheels 63 and 64 are carried loosely by the projecting portions of axle61, and wheels 65 and 66 are loosely carried by the projecting portionsof axle 62.

When inner arm 24 is inserted within outer arm 23, wheels 63 and 64serve as a vertical load bearing for arm 24, and wheels 65 and 66 serveas a side load bearing for arm 24.

A roller 67, sandwiched between wheels 69 and 70, is carried upon axle68. This axle is located within the right end of outer arm 23 (FIGS. 3and 5). As is best shown in FIG. 5, arm 24 rests against the uppersurface of roller 67 so that this roller and the adjacent wheels serveas a vertical load bearing for arm 24. Roller 67 and wheels 69 and 70thus cooperate with wheels 63 and 64 to provide a complete vertical loadbearing for arm 24 which enables this arm to telescope within arm 23.Adjustable limit screw 59 located at the right end of arm 23 passesthrough the wall of this arm and rests against the upper surface of arm24 so as to prevent vertical play between arms 23 and 24.

Referring now to FIGS. 3, 8 and 9, an arm saddle 71 is pivotally coupledto the left end of arm 23 by pivot screw 72. In view of the fact thatarm saddle 71 has no bottom, pivot 72 permits relative tilting movementbetween arm 23 and saddle 71 in a vertical plane.

For example, FIG. 3 shows arm 23 in a horizontal position relativesaddle 71. This positioning is brought about by the weight of alignerunit 4 on support post 25. In FIG. 8, however, a fragmentary portion ofarm 23 is shown tilted relative saddle 71. This positioning occurs whenaligner unit 4 is removed from support post 25.

A spring support block 73 is fixed to the left end of arm 23 by screw74. The upper surface of block 73 carries a stud 75 which receives thelower end of helical spring 76.

The upper surface of saddle 71 carries integrally formed semicircularcoupling plate 77. Plate 77 likewise carries a stud 78 which receivesthe upper end of helical spring 76. When the arm pair 23, 24 is relievedof the weight of the aligner unit 4, spring 76 expands as shown in FIG.8, pivoting the arms about pivot 72 until adjustable stop screw 80 iscontacted by the upper surface of arm 23.

Aligner support I is attached to runway flange 2 (FIGS. 1 and 3) bymounting bracket 81. Mounting bracket 81 includes an attachment platesection 82, a pair of projecting lips 83 and 84 which contact the uppersurface of runway flange 2 and a cantilever pivot late 85.

Mounting pla e 82 is apertured at 86, 87 (FIG. 9) so that it may bebolted to runway flange 2; and pivot plate is also apertured so thatvertical pivot screw 88 may be used to couple plates 77 and together.

In summary, the movements provided by the foregoing structure are asfollows:

a. Arms 23, 24 telescope relative to one another;

b. Arms 23, 24 and post 25 pivot in limited vertical angular range aboutpivot 72;

c. Arms 23, 24 and post 25 pivot in a substantially horizontal angularrange about pivot 88;

d. Post elements 27 and 45 telescope relative one another to vary thegenerally vertically height of aligner unit 4 with respect to the arms23, 24; and

e. Ball and socket elements 21, 28, together with yoke 35 enable tiltingof the aligner unit with respect to post 25.

With the foregoing generally universal movements provided, support arm 1is capable of being mounted on various vehicle racks to bring alignerunits of varying sizes from a storage position to a wheel clampingposition for vehicle wheels of different sizes. These functions areaccomplished without the operator lifting the total weight of thesupport, or searching for a storage place for the unit.

It should be understood that the structure shown in the drawings ismerely illustrative of the principles of this invention. Modificationscan be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In the combination of a vehicle support ramp, a portable,optical-transit, pivot-post aligner unit having a wheel clamp and asupport for the portable wheel aligner unit, the improvement in whichthe support comprises a pair of telescoping arms adapted to extend anadjustable length, vertically tiltable and horizontally swingablemounting means for the support coupling one end of the telescoping armpair to the ramp, a telescoping projecting post coupled to the other endof the telescoping arm pair, and carrying means included as part of theprojecting post to support tiltably and rotationally the wheel alignerunit, whereby the wheel aligner unit may be stored adjacent the ramp onthe support and manually moved horizontally, vertically, and tilted inaltitude relative the wheel to a wheel clamping position on a rampsupported vehicle to be aligned.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which the telescoping projecting postprojects from the coupled arm at an angle generally normal to thelongitudinal axis of the arm pair, and an extensible yoke coupled to thealigner unit enveloping the projecting post to provide a yieldingrestraint upon the tiltable and rotational action of the aligner unitrelative the telescoping projecting post.

3. The combination of claim 1 in which the mounting means includes amounting bracket adapted to be fixed to support ramp structure adjacenta vehicle to be aligned, a saddle pivotally coupled to the mountingbracket with the saddle being swingable about a generally vertical axis,one end of the arm pair being received within the saddle, and aspringand a pivot yieldingly coupling the one end of the arm pair to thesaddle with the arm pair being movable through a limited angular rangein a vertical plane, and the post includes a projecting finger rod and atelescoping tube adjustably enveloping the finger rod with the tubebeing extensible generally vertically.

4. The combination of claim 4 in which the carrying means includes amounting tip having a projecting ball adapted to be received within aloosely mating socket attached to the wheel aligner with the alignercapable of limited tilting movement relative the post, and in which anextensible yoke is coupled to the aligner unit to provide a yieldingrestraint upon the tiltable and rotational action of the unit relativethe projecting post.

1. In the combination of a vehicle support ramp, a portable,optical-transit, pivot-post aligner unit having a wheel clamp and asupport for the portable wheel aligner unit, the improvement in whichthe support comprises a pair of telescoping arms adapted to extend anadjustable length, vertically tiltable and horizontally swingablemounting means for the support coupling one end of the telescoping armpair to the ramp, a telescoping projecting post coupled to the other endof the telescoping arm pair, and carrying means included as part of theprojecting post to support tiltably and rotationally the wheel alignerunit, whereby the wheel aligner unit may be stored adjacent the ramp onthe support and manually moved horizontally, vertically, and tilted inaltitude relative the wheel to a wheel clamping position on a rampsupported vehicle to be aligned.
 2. The combination of claim 1 in whichthe telescoping projecting post projects from the coupled arm at anangle generally normal to the longitudinal axis of the arm pair, and anextensible yoke coupled to the aligner unit enveloping the projectingpost to provide a yielding restraint upon the tiltable and rotationalaction of the aligner unit relative the telescoping projecting post. 3.The combination of claim 1 in which the mounting means includes amounting bracket adapted to be fixed to support ramp structure adjacenta vehicle to be aligned, a saddle pivotally coupled to the mountingbracket with the saddle being swingable about a generally vertical axis,one end of the arm pair being received within the saddle, and a springand a pivot yieldingly coupling the one end of the arm pair to thesaddle with the arm pair being movable through a limited angular rangein a vertical plane, and the post includes a projecting finger rod and atelescoping tube adjustably enveloping the finger rod with the tubebeing extensible generally vertically.
 4. The combination of claim 4 inwhich the carrying means includes a mounting tip having a projectingball adapted to be received within a loosely mating socket attached tothe wheel aligner with the aligner capable of limited tilting movementrelative the post, and in which an extensible yoke is coupled to thealigner unit to provide a yielding restraint upon the tiltable androtational action of the unit relative the projecting post.